Encounter
by hellsfireydeath
Summary: Twilight brings a human into their world, against Princess Celestia's advice. How will she and her friends deal with a creature they have never encountered before, yet is so similar? Reviews are encouraged.
1. Encounter

Dear Princess Celestia,

As you requested, this is my detailed description of what happened after the experiment two days past.

It was a pink, twisted thing that lay on the ground before us. I confess, it was not a pretty sight, and many of us stepped back in revulsion. Our reaction seems silly now, but at the time it was perfectly reasonable.

A very short black mane was matted against its head. I feel the need to truly establish how short its mane was. The hair just _stopped_ above the neck! More patches of dark hair were in the oddest of places, such as around the joints where the 'forelegs' were and in between the rear legs in a certain area (I'm going to assume you know what I mean so I shall not go into further detail).

As for the body shape, it was quite thin, with none of the limbs having the same width as a pony's. It drew to mind an insect, the long spindly appendages seemingly broken in half and allowed to bend. The greatest visualisation of this would be Spike's body structure: if he was taller, skinnier, and missing a tail, they would look quite similar. But enough of my descriptions, chances are you will already know what he looks like by the time you read this.

This thing was curled up like a newborn filly and didn't respond when we attempted to communicate with it. Rainbow Dash had the courage to poke it with her hoof (she later told me the flesh was soft and pliable if that helps [well technically she said it was squishy and gross, but I decided 'soft and pliable' were more fitting in a scientific study]) which elicited a grunt from the creature. I was surprisingly relieved at the sound because I have to say the thing made a convincing corpse.

It started to shift and move, rolling onto its back and uncurling the spidery extensions I mentioned earlier. Furthermore, noises that apparently indicated discomfort accompanied this new development. Even Rainbow Dash stayed back as the creature heaved itself into an upright position, 'sitting' on the grass looking back at us. Please forgive my use of apostrophes around certain words as they indicate the word is just my closest approximate description of what the creature does.

Its eyes were smaller than a pony's and the face was sort of _compressed_ with a tiny bump for a nose and a pink rimmed mouth. Again, I shall refrain from going into detail because you probably already know.

Those confused and disoriented eyes blinked at us as the head swivelled to face all six of us in turn. I felt a queer sense of guilt in my heart; this poor thing had been ripped away from its own kind and thrown into our world. It must have looked at us and felt the exact same revulsion. Indeed, when I tried for a second time to speak to it, the thing promptly turned to the side and ejected its stomach contents (Before you ask, yes, I did confirm it has a stomach, but that part is later on). It is at this point that I realised a great failing on my part. While I had devoted months making sure that whatever I brought through into our world would not materialise half inside the ground or inside out or in several pieces scattered over Equestria, the medical wellbeing of the (then) imagined subject didn't cross my mind. There is a second scroll that will arrive seconds after this one detailing the lesson I learned.

Once it had finished retching, the pink thing tried to rise on its hind legs, but it stumbled and fell back to the ground. A pained whimper left its mouth and I felt even guiltier.

But then, as it seemingly lay down to die, a single word was uttered in a raspy and cracked voice, weak from exertion.

Water.

It wanted water.

More importantly, it wanted water _and it could speak our language!_ I don't need to tell you what a surprise that was for us, and sure enough we scrambled about in a disorganised manner until I asked Applejack to fetch a bucket of water from her farm. It was the closest building, you see.

While water was being retrieved, I gingerly approached the creature. He didn't seem to notice me until I stood over him and cast a shadow across his eyes. Yes, _his_ eyes. I was at such proximity that his gender became quite obvious. I politely focused on his face however; it was no time to inspect alien genitalia.

The conversation that followed is below, written to the best of my memory and adjusted by my friends who recalled differently.

ME: Hello. I know you must be very scared and confused right now, but please know that you will not be harmed. We only want to talk. Do you have a name?

HIM: Wear. (gasping and croaking)

ME: Wear is a strange name. My name is Twilight Sparkle. It's nice to meet you, Wear.

HIM: (groaning)

ME: Don't worry, water is on the way. Is there anything else you need?

HIM: (further groaning)

As you can see, Princess, he was not very communicative. I ceased talking to him so as not to aggravate his apparent pain (Rarity delicately suggested that he may not feel like talking right at that moment) until Applejack eventually returned with the pale of water. She placed it before him, and he sat up to better access it. Using the tentacle-like appendages at the end of his 'forelegs' or arms, he made a crude cup and scooped water into his mouth. Suffice to say, it was a very inefficient way of drinking but he seemed set on it, draining half the bucket before falling back to the grass wheezing and coughing.

We left him to gather his thoughts for a few minutes, convening to discuss our next step. While most of us were curious about the creature, I was the only one who was excited. Now that he didn't appear to be dying, the guilt I mentioned earlier was taking a back seat to my scientific side. Pinkie Pie suggested giving it a cake to see if he was hungry, but I didn't want to wait until she returned with the food. The second suggestion came from Rainbow Dash, who brought up the fact that Fluttershy was good with animals, but that idea dissolved when I proclaimed that he was clearly sentient (despite not really having anything to suggest that). Instead, I proposed that we try to communicate with him again. Since nopony had any further suggestions, I returned to the creature.

To my surprise, he had managed to stand on his hind legs and was maintaining balance extremely well. He shuffled about, taking hesitant steps in different directions and looking around at the grassy hills and trees. Every so often he would glance at me or one of my friends. Despite his face being so different to a pony, he managed a look of cautionary confusion that I found startlingly familiar, for I wore it as well.

The transcript of my second attempt at communication is below.

ME: Hello Wear. Don't be scared, please. My name is Twilight Sparkle, in case you forgot.

HIM: Twilight...

ME: Yes, that's me! How are you feeling, Wear?

HIM: Why do you keep calling me Wear?

ME: Isn't that your name?

HIM: No...Wear is a stupid name. Like Twilight. (I took affront to this but decided not to hold it against him as he was clearly having a stressful time adjusting)

ME: Well, what is your name then?

HIM: I don't know. I don't know anything. (He appeared to be frightened by his words)

ME: It's ok, don't be scared! I think the shock of your arrival might have made you forget some things (As I say this, he holds a hand to his face and sways unsteadily. Moments later he seems to faint).

I'm glad I chose to do the experiment out on the grass, because I imagine his soft head would have broken should it have struck anything harder. When he did not awake after a few minutes, I realised this was the perfect time to move him back to the library for study. We wouldn't have to deal with issues such as him not coming with us due to (fairly understandable) trust issues or him dying from the walk back to Ponyville.

And so, it was with a sense of scientific excitement that I watched Rarity draping some fabric over Applejack's back followed by a sense of nausea as the naked creature was lowered onto the farm ponies back by my magic. Applejack beared the load bravely, stating she was no stranger to heavy loads (to which Rainbow Dash said, "I'll say!" which elicited a stout "Shut it, Rainbow!" in reply).

I'll spare you the uneventful trek back to Ponyville, but I would like to note that the creature seemed to drift in and out of the waking world, muttering to himself. The reaction from the few ponies that passed us on the road was about the only redeeming quality that our slow walk possessed.

Before we entered Ponyville, I suggested to Rarity that she hide the creature underneath a second sheet of fabric to avoid attracting unwanted attention. She agreed, though she wasn't happy about getting alien germs over her precious cloth. We quickly hurried through the town, not stopping to answer questions. Only when we were inside my library with all the doors and windows closed and covered did we uncover the poor creature and lower him onto my bed.

Rainbow Dash suggested we tuck him in (though it was more along the lines of "I'm sick of looking at alien junk!") and I complied gingerly, mentally deciding to burn the sheets later.

What followed was about 34 hours of restless sleep with random intervals of mumbling and violent flailing. Pinkie Pie cheerfully suggested during the third bout that he had gone insane, but I decided it was far more likely that his body was just adjusting to our world. It's a miracle he can actually breathe, now that I think about it. So many things could have gone wrong and killed him that I am seriously questioning my moral integrity as a scientist. But I digress.

I believe he ceased sleeping at sometime during the night, but I did not wake until morning. The only pony who noticed he had awoken was Applejack, so I had Spike write down her exact recollection of the event. It is as follows:

_Well, um, he woke with an awful sounding gasp, like he was __suffi/ __sufoc/__ not breathing well. After a few minutes, he sat up in bed and looked at me. Everypony else was sleeping downstairs, so it was just me and him. He asked me "Where?" and I told him he was in Ponyville. He asked me where that was and I told him it was in Equestria. He looked mighty confused for a few minutes there, so I thought I would be polite and ask him where he was from. He just shook his head and didn't reply, so I asked him what his name was, to see if he remembered. Again, he just shook his head all rude-like so I stopped talking to him. He didn't say anything more until the sun rose, and y'all already know what happened then. Spike, you can stop writing now, I've fin_

As you can see, Princess, he still had no recollection of his name or place of origin. While the latter memory has returned to him by the time of this writing, his name remains unknown.

I rose with your sun, bright and early. Immediately, I knew something was awry because the creature was not in his bed, and the bed sheets were torn and ripped to pieces. Applejack was dozing next to my bed so I shook her awake and asked where the creature had gone. She was as clueless as I was, and in my haste to search the library I awoke the rest of my friends. It became evident that he had left the building and I admit I became somewhat _frazzled_, as Rarity put it. I was scared about what the creature might do, lost and wandering Ponyville with no memories, so we quickly formed a search party, scattering through the town and warning any other early-rising ponies to shout if they see something strange.

This tactic proved successful, as your sun had barely cleared the horizon when alarmed ponies began talking of a pink monster prowling through the town square. By the time we arrived, he had entered Sugarcube Corner and the frightened Mr and Mrs Cake were outside, terrified at the home invader.

Upon our entry, the creature barely seemed to notice as he stood on his hind legs and ate from a large display of cupcakes. This is the moment I realised he has a stomach, by the way. What's more surprising is that he had fashioned some makeshift garments, explaining the destroyed bed sheets we found earlier. They only covered his lower half and legs, which suggests he has at least some notion of modesty and is not a tribal primitive.

Pinkie Pie found his apparent love of cupcakes to be most enjoyable, quickly joining in the feast despite my cautions. The rest of us sat and watched them eat in relative silence. I should mention now that he maintained excellent balance on his hind legs and appears to prefer it to using all four of his limbs. The tentacles on the end of his arms were quite adept at grasping cupcakes and bringing it to his mouth.

Only when he had his fill did he address us. A full stomach made him much more talkative. The transcript is below.

HIM: Would any of you like to tell me why I woke up in this place? (Referring not to Sugarcube Corner or my library but Equestria)

ME: I brought you into our world using my magic.

HIM: Why?

ME: It was an experiment; I thought I would find some interesting creature to study. (Not my smartest choice of words)

HIM: You're going to study me? (He is disturbed by the thought)

ME: Well I was planning to, but I can see you don't like that idea.

HIM: You're damn right I don't! I don't even know what you are, or what this place is!

ME: Calm down, I can answer any of your questions!

HIM: Send me back! (Not a question, a demand. I found this sudden confidence interesting)

ME: I don't know the spell for that!

HIM: Then find out! I don't know what the hell kind of mutant horses you are and I don't want to know. Just...please send me home. (He stopped shouting, appearing scared)

ME: (soothingly) I will start looking for the spell as soon as we return to the library. Please, you're scaring the townsfolk.

HIM: (walking over to us, I notice how much taller he is on his hind legs. If it wasn't for his confused and scared expression, he would have made an imposing figure) Sorry. I just woke up and didn't know what was going on, so my first thought was to escape.

We departed Sugarcube Corner, but this time we couldn't hide the creature under fabric so we caused numerous shouts and screams. I have to admit he appeared quite frightening, striding beside us and surveying the scared ponyfolk. Loping, unnatural steps that suited him so well took him back through the streets to the library. Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders (who were dressed in adorable padding and armour apparently meant to fight the monster) stood silently on the side of the road watching us pass.

When we arrived back at my home, I immediately dove into my books. I confess I was not looking for a return spell, but rather for more information on our new arrival. He sat in a chair (which suited his body structure rather well) and was silent for a time. My friends talked and joked amongst themselves, but eventually their curiosity got the better of them and they started talking to him.

I was busy reading at the time, but Spike was astute enough to record the conversation.

RARITY: Your clothing is rather ragged at the moment. I could try to tidy it up, if you wish?

HIM: Uh, sure I suppose.

(Rarity used her magic and some scissors to trim the uneven edges and creates a makeshift belt out of black ribbon.)

HIM: I feel ridiculous.

RARITY: Nonsense, darling. You look...clothed.

HIM: I suppose that is an improvement. I hope I didn't offend you mutant horses with my nudity. In my defence, I-

RAINBOW DASH: Who are you calling mutant?

HIM: I-

APPLEJACK: You ain't exactly a familiar face to us either, bucko.

HIM: I was just-

PINKIE PIE: You look funny!

HIM: (loudly and angrily) Will you all just shut up?

(Everypony went quiet)

HIM: In case you haven't noticed, I'm not from this world. Everything here is as strange to me as I am to you. All I want is to go back to my world and get away from this insanity.

FLUTTERSHY: (quietly) I'm sorry. You must be so sad to be away from your friends.

RAINBOW DASH: Actually, now that I think about it, I would be pretty angry too if I got separated from my friends.

APPLEJACK: I'm sorry too, sugarcube. You must be right annoyed at all our yammering.

PINKIE PIE: You don't look _that_ funny.

HIM: (chuckling for the first time) Thanks.

I finished my reading, unable to find any useful information about him or his world. Instead I resigned to find the spell to send him back home, as much as it went against my wishes. There was no counter-spell listed, only the original. I decided to question the creature to see if he could be of use.

ME: Does the incantation '_Ex Hyacintho_' mean anything to you?

HIM: Something blue? That's Latin, isn't it? (That is the correct spelling of Latin, he fixed it for me just now)

ME: (excitedly) You know what it means? This is fantastic! So many spells with unusual names that will make so much more sense once I've had you translate-

HIM: Hey, hold on! I only know a bit of Latin. I don't think I will be of much help.

ME: So the language of magic is called 'Latin'? Interesting.

HIM: I don't know about magic, it's just a really old language.

ME: How do you know it?

HIM: I...thought it was cool. Learning a dead language fascinated me. (I felt an odd sense of fondness for him, we shared the same sense of wonder at ancient tongues.)

ME: Do you know the opposite to the incantation?

HIM: I'm not certain what '_ex_' means, I think it is 'from' or 'of', and I don't know the opposite to 'blue'.

ME: 'Of Blue'? 'From Blue'? I don't know what to make of that.

RAINBOW DASH: Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm kinda sick of being in this library for two days. Now that I know everything is under control and he's not gonna go on a rampage, I might go home. Maybe take a shower.

RARITY: I'm afraid I must agree with Rainbow, my hair must be getting greasy and disgusting after so long since my last wash.

FLUTTERSHY: Oh my! I need to check on Angel!

APPLEJACK: It's only been two days, calm down everypony. They do make a good point though Twilight; we have stuff we need to get to. You alright here?

ME: Yes, I can take it from here. Thank you all so much for helping me!

We all exchanged farewells and they left the creature and I alone.

There is a painful awkwardness about being alone with him. Now that I know he isn't just some strange being and could communicate, there is a tension in the air. I feel like I have committed a crime. I ripped him away from his home, his friends, his family, and brought him into our world naked and scared. This is where I am now, sitting at my desk and writing to avoid conversation. I fear I don't have many words left to prolong the sending of this message.

I hope you can forgive me for my grievous crime. I know you advised caution when I told you about the spell, but I was stubborn and excited. If you know any way to help him return to his own kind and undo the damage I've caused, please _please_ tell me.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle


	2. Meat

**Something readers should know: Chapters will often be in different forms such as letters, diary entries, poems, or regular story format (such as this chapter). I'm not saying there will be a poem chapter or a diary entry chapter, I'm only trying to get across that they will take whatever form and be whatever length I feel they should be. If you were expecting a pure letter-exchange format between Twilight and Princess Celestia for this entire story then I apologize for giving that impression.**

**Hopefully, though, you will still enjoy the story!**

* * *

><p>Silence reigned in the library. A quill rested beside the parchment, ink droplets tainting the desk. Words were drying upon the page, oblivious to their creator. The only sound was the slight wheeze of a baby dragon sleeping peacefully. Twilight kept staring at the letter, the words blurring together as she daydreamed. She thought of a world where she was free from guilt and anxiety, where a frightening creature didn't sit on a chair not far behind her.<p>

"Hey, Twilight. There's this thing my species has to do every now and then that keeps us alive. It's called eating," said a voice tinged with humour. Twilight snapped free of her fantasy and looked back at the creature. He was baring his teeth in what seemed to be a mockery of a smile. She returned it politely.

"I'm sorry, I was daydreaming. What would you like to eat?" She trotted past him and into her small kitchen. He followed her and leaned against the doorway.

"Got any meat? Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just beef or whatever," he asked casually. Twilight froze.

"I'm sorry, meat?"

"Well yeah. If you've got eggs and bacon too, we could have ourselves a good fry-up!" he licked his lips at the idea, unaware of the colour draining from Twilight's face.

"That's sick! You mean you enjoy eating _dead animals?_" she asked, disgusted. Swallowing the bile that rose at the back of her throat at the very thought, she rounded on him. He was shocked by her reaction.

"I'm an omnivore! I can't help it! Calm down." He raised his hands as if warding off her glare, backing out of the kitchen. "I'm sure a salad or whatever will be fine."

Twilight smacked her face with her hoof. Of _course_ he wouldn't have the same diet as her. He was an alien! _Now I've gone and scared him off. Another smooth move for pony-alien relations._ She decided to mend any damage before it festered, following him back into the main room. He had sat down at her desk and was reading the letter, to her surprise.

Thinking quickly, she used her magic to float the letter above the desk and out of his reach, even when he stood up.

"That's amazing...How do you do that?" She ignored his question, posing one of her own.

"How much did you read?"

"Enough to know you think of me as some sort of monster," he replied, previous amazement forgotten in the wake of anger.

"I don't think you're a monster! I just...I approached you from a scientific perspective!" She winced at the words moments after saying them, this wasn't going well. He quickly walked right up to her, fury behind his eyes. Twilight had to crane her head up to look at him and fear coursed through her. She swallowed.

"Of course, because I'm your stupid little experiment, aren't I? Nothing has consequences here in fucking fantasy land! You just do as you please and magic away all the problems." He was yelling now and Twilight took a few steps back.

"Please calm down! It's not like that, really!"

"What is it like then? Go on, enlighten me!"

Twilight's mouth worked, trying to form a sentence but no words came to her. The door crashed open with a bang, startling both of them. Standing in the unsettled dust cloud was Applejack, looking like she was ready to fight.

"Just what the hay is goin' on here?" she shouted, and Twilight took the opportunity to quickly walk over to her. Safety in numbers, right?

He didn't reply, glaring at them both. Twilight whispered to her friend urgently.

"I wrote up a report for Princess Celestia and he read it. I sort of referred to him as a creature and stuff..."

"And he took that the wrong way? Not that surprisin' really," Applejack replied. Twilight tried to melt into the floor, shame lowering her head.

He walked up to the two ponies blocking the door and stared down at them. _He likes using his height to intimidate...What does that say about the rest of his kind?_

"Get out of my way." His voice was low, dangerous. Applejack made a brave show of it, staring right back at him, but the effect was lessened by her nervous swallow. Twilight edged to the side slowly, trying to indicate that Applejack should do the same. The earth pony glanced at her and seemed to understand, stepping to one side. He walked between them and out into the night.

Twilight couldn't help but call after him,

"Where are you going?" He didn't look back when he yelled his reply.

"To get some meat!"


	3. Woods

**After the fantastic reviews I got from the last chapter, I decided to post this chapter early. It is of roughly the same length as the previous chapter, but I promise the next part will be significantly longer. For those of you who do not mind what length each chapter is, I hope you enjoy it all the same.**

* * *

><p>A man stumbled through some bushes, almost tripping over a moss covered fallen tree. He lashed out when the path was blocked, smacking aside branches that scraped and vines that caressed all the same. Fury incarnate stormed the forest.<p>

He would never admit it, but he _liked_ the anger and adrenaline filling his body. He felt strong, powerful, dangerous. When those two mutant horses got out of his way there had been a taste of something fun, something missing from his life before this world. Power. The ability to make someone else act as he commanded. No longer would he bow to the wishes of others. If he was trapped in this world, then he would make it _his_ world.

Denied it and controlled by it all his life, it was nice to have it for once, if only to scare a couple of mutants. Mutants that dared to call _him_ a monster! Well, as soon as he had some food he was going to put them in their place.

A moment of hesitation drew to his attention a jagged piece of rock. The fallen tree he had climbed over must have shattered a large boulder sometime in the distant past and now pieces of wood and stone littered the undergrowth.

He picked up a piece of stone. It was only as long as his forearm, but it was sharp and smooth like a knife. It would do.

Stalking off into the forest, he listened for the faintest rustle, anything that might be an animal. He hoped for a deer or a rabbit or if he was lucky a chicken, but there was no telling what kind of animals this world had. Perhaps some form of delicious meat that didn't exist back home... Now _that_ would be a welcome discovery.

He was no stranger to hunting. Dim memories of his childhood surfaced as soon as he entered the forest. The dark canopy of leaves above him not allowing even the faintest of moonlight in, a sense of isolation contrasted with anticipation. Yes, this was all too familiar.

A shifting of the leaves in a tree above him stopped his movement mid-step. An owl watched him, head tilted quizzically. He watched back, a smirk splitting his lips.

"I don't suppose you can talk as well?" he hissed at the bird.

"Who?" it replied.

"You. I asked if you could-" he began before realising his mistake. A glance at his surroundings revealed there were no amused voyeurs crouching in the dark. Cursing his ignorance, he wished for a bow or a rifle. A bow was slightly less impossible than the gun but still out of reach in his current predicament. There was no way he could reach the owl with the rock-knife, so he kept moving.

The bird hopped to another branch, then another, then another, following him through the trees. In the silence of night, with neither a cricket's chirp nor a wolf's howl to hear, the rustling was madness.

He tried throwing a pebble at the bird, but it just hopped along the branch and dodged it. Hissing and swearing at it did even less, inciting only the taunting repeated question. _At least it's keeping my blood boiling so I don't get cold. _

Accompanied by his unwanted observer, he journeyed further into the woods. He knew he would likely be sleeping where he fell tonight, but that was some time away. The 'thrill of the hunt' (as his father called it) would keep him awake and wary.

Bare feet on a forest floor were not a relaxing experience, he began to realise, but makeshift shoes would only make more noise and scare off potential prey.

Speaking of which, there didn't appear to _be_ any potential prey. It must have been an hour since he abandoned the mutants and started walking, yet not a single animal had presented itself. The taunting owl didn't count because it was stupid and annoying.

Eventually, the lack of noise began to eat at him. Every snapping stick beneath his feet was a thunder crack in his ears. Even the light scratch as the owl landed on a new branch grated against him. He couldn't take it anymore, yelling,

"Where are you?"

In place of his elusive meal, a rough voice replied humorously,

"Behind you."

He spun, slashing wildly with the rock, and a massive weight crashed into him. Warmth gushed over his fingertips as the air left his lungs, falling. A whimper from the attacker was the last thing he heard when a dreamless sleep took his mind.


	4. Carrion

Twilight paced restlessly, taking a few steps towards the forest before losing confidence and turning back, then doing it again. Applejack watched her in silent contemplation, which was unnerving enough on its own.

"Should we go after him?" she asked the earth pony for the hundredth time.

"He's too far ahead of us, sugarcube. All we'd do is get ourselves lost as well," she replied for the hundredth time.

"I just can't stand sitting around waiting! He could be out there right now, cooking some poor little animal for dinner!"

"Calm down Twilight. It's not like there ain't any other meat-eaters in the forest. I reckon it's safe to say a fair number of critters get eaten all the time. Just let him have his food and maybe he'll calm down enough to come back."

Twilight thought that was ridiculous.

"You seriously believe he would want to come back? After how I talked about him in that letter? Not likely." Applejack just shrugged in response, turning her attention to the forest once more. After a moment, Twilight did as well. The Everfree seemed even more ominous than usual, though perhaps that was just the silence letting her imagination run wild. Every shift in the bushes made her heart jolt, yet nothing emerged from the shadows.

After a few minutes, she decided to try and break the anticipatory tension.

"So why are you in Ponyville tonight, anyway? Not that I'm ungrateful for your help earlier, I just wondered because Sweet Apple Acres is-"

"I was visiting a friend," the earth pony replied evenly as she kept her eyes squarely focused on the forest.

"Oh. Um, anyone I know?" Twilight was confused. _What is she hiding?_

"Well I better head back home and get some rest, 'specially if we're goin' searching for our new arrival tomorrow. I suggest you do the same." With a tip of her hat and a nervous chuckle, Applejack quickly trotted away, leaving Twilight to her unanswered questions.

_Well that was weird._ Twilight was dying to know what her friend was up to, but if she didn't want to tell her then what could she do?

In the end, Twilight succumbed to her fading energy and retreated back to the library. The thought that some poor animal was dead because of her loose tongue was not a comforting one, yet sleep came fast and welcome.

With her mind full of twisted pink creatures she slept, dreams churning behind her eyelids. A landscape formed between her eyes and the world. Yellow, dead grass plains crusted under roiling black clouds.

She stood on a precipice of cracked grey rock and looked out fearfully at the world. Nothing lived here. The sun was hidden in the wake of the black shroud, casting a sickly red glow that seemed a mockery of light.

A vulture was perched further along the cliff, watching the terrain patiently. Twilight looked away as soon as she noticed it, lest it take any interest in her. She knew vultures were ghastly, evil birds, carrion feeders that would watch you die and pick clean your bones. There were not many vultures in Equestria, thank Celestia.

_Where is Celestia?_ The sun was not hers, for certain, and there were no mountains upon which Canterlot might have rested. The vulture cackled obscenely at her, a dry rasping sound that chilled her blood. A presence drifted into being on her opposite side, the shifting of disturbed air and a crunch of weight upon rocks alerting her.

With a start, she turned to see _him_ standing there, naked as the day he was found and just as terrifying. His black hair roiled like the clouds above, and his smile revealed teeth as jagged as the cliff face, sharp and broken.

"Don't mind the bird. It waits for what must come," he whispered in a voice that laughed and cried simultaneously.

"Please don't hurt me," she heard herself whisper back. Tears dripped from her eyes and stained her cheeks. He squatted down beside her and reached forward with those soft, gnarled fingers, wiping away one of the tears.

"Come now Twilight, there's no need for that. This is naught but a nightmare." He almost sounded comforting, if it weren't for the shark-like grin.

"Truly? You promise?" She couldn't believe herself, asking for consolation from a monster. He only shrugged and brought the hand that wiped her cheek up so Twilight could see it.

"If you need more proof, ask yourself, when did you last cry blood?" His hand was slicked with red and she recoiled in horror, scrubbing at her eyes with her hooves.

They came away bloody and she screamed, she stumbled over the precipice and she screamed, and screamed, and scr-

"**TWILIGHT!**"

Her landing was violent, jerking suddenly as she impacted the soft ground. _Wait...Soft ground?_ She struggled to open her eyes against a sharp piercing light from the window. Her sheets were entangled around her, twisted from a restless sleep.

The worried face of Spike soon took prominence in her vision.

"Twilight are you ok! You were screaming so loud!" he said as she regained her senses. A broken grin floated in her mind's eye, rushing torrents purging the memories. She felt a dim sense of fear that subsided as the sun's warmth painted her skin. Twilight found herself whispering as she eased her speeding heart,

"My eyes are dry, my eyes are dry, my eyes are dry."

Spike looked even more worried now. He climbed up onto the bed and held her close, seeking to comfort the unicorn. She welcomed the hug, breathing deeply and holding Spike even tighter. After a moment, the baby dragon whispered,

"That must have been some nightmare." Twilight could only nod as she pulled away from the embrace.

"The worst I've ever had." _An understatement, really._

"Can I get you anything?" Spike asked earnestly, his face a portrait of concern. She felt a rush of affection for her assistant.

"That's ok Spike, just you being here is enough. I don't know what I would do without you sometimes," she said, kissing him on the cheek. He grinned and gave her a quick hug before hopping down from the bed. Suddenly, Twilight remembered something.

"Actually Spike, there is something you could do. You know that letter I wrote about the experiment?"

"The one on your desk?"

"Yes, that's the one. I have been putting it off, but I think it's time Princess Celestia saw it."

Spike gave her a salute.

"One letter delivery via Dragon Postal Service coming right up!"

As he marched dutifully downstairs, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever that nightmare had been about, it was long gone. Now she had a rogue alien prowling the Everfree forest to worry about.

* * *

><p>"Just leave him there to rot," said the voice, "Other animals' need to eat 'round here too."<p>

I admit these voices were not the angelic tones I was expecting after such an encounter. Not like your voice, my friend. Indeed I owe your talent and penchant for singing my life, as you well know. Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked again, I know.

Anyway, I played dead for the most part and hoped they would leave me alone. I think that the one I killed was part of a pack, and those were its brothers or friends or whatever.

Eventually the others (maybe two or three) left the area and I began to shuffle out from underneath it. You saw how big it was; just imagine how _heavy_ that bastard was! When I was halfway out with just my legs undern- what? Yes, that _was_ the very beginning. I woke up to those voices talking about either me or their friend or both. I am not leaving details out!

_Fine!_ I woke up a few minutes before the others arrived. You kind of seem...too delicate for this part, that's why I left it out.

Anyway, when I woke up my hand was slippery. I couldn't see it from that angle but once I realised the thing lying on me was dead I figured it out. I had this rock, you see, and it was quite sharp. When the fucker tackled me, my sharp rock cut inside. Deep inside. I was up to my elbow in that things stomach. Blood and other stuff was oozing everywhere and- Yeah that's what I thought. Do you want me to skip it now?

Alright. So my legs were trapped underneath this monster, right? And suddenly I hear them coming back. I figure maybe they have really good hearing and knew I was moving. There was no way I could play dead that time, not when they last saw me getting crushed by that body, so I panic. I'm half covered by a dead beast that weighs a metric fuckton and I have nowhere to go.

Now that was where you came in. They must have been about to reach me and notice my remarkable talent for coming back to life when your singing wafted through the trees.

At any other time, in any other place, you would have been entrancing. Have no doubt of that. But with a blood soaked arm and god knows how many internal injuries from being crushed by that thing for so long I wasn't really feeling it. Apparently, they were though. I'm guessing you've encountered them at some point before and they associate your singing with a violent side of you I've yet to witness.

I'm joking, I'm joking, calm down. I'm just in a really good mood from not dying earlier today.

As a side note, I noticed you have some chickens on our way back here. I don't suppose you would be willing to spare just one of them? Why, for companionship of course! Chickens are valued partners back in m-_Look lady I need some meat!_ Just a single chicken! They hatch like a thousand eggs a year, you can make more! Are you sure? Just one? Alright, fine, I won't bring it up again.

Now where was I? Right, your singing. It came completely out of nowhere and scared the heck out of those other beasts. So I'm sitting there wondering if maybe it's a siren call, like some even worse monster is going to hypnotise me and eat me. Then I decide that if I must die, I would rather it be at the hands, er, _hooves_, of a creature with that beautiful voice than a couple of talking jerks who seem completely unfit for civilised communication.

So that's when I started yelling. I hoped to catch your attention and obviously I did. What else is there to the story? You came over to see what was going on, helped me get out from under that thing and led me back here. For which I am eternally grateful, of course.

I know I said I wouldn't bring it up again, but seriously it's only one chicken...

* * *

><p>Unsurprisingly, it was not Applejack who knocked on her door under the morning sun. The voices of Rarity and Pinkie Pie floated up through the window.<p>

"Oh Twiiiiiiliiight! Applejack told us about what happened last night, so we've come to help you!" Rarity's sing-song voice made Twilight smile despite herself. Pinkie Pie soon joined in the wake-up call.

"Yeah, wake up sleepy-face! We've got a big bad monster to catch!"

Twilight didn't waste any time, trotting outside the library to join her friends.

"Where is everypony else?" she asked them. Rarity flicked her mane in the direction of the forest.

"Applejack is already in there looking and Rainbow Dash has gone to get Fluttershy. Shall we begin searching?" replied Rarity. With a nod, the three ponies took off running for the tree line.

Her brain nagged at her to slow down and establish a plan instead of charging straight in, but for once she ignored it. There was a sense of urgency about finding him that she couldn't explain.

Low hanging branches brushed against her as she leapt over a fallen tree, heading deeper into the forest.

"Uh, Twilight, do you know where you're going?" Rarity asked beside her, already out of breath. Pinkie Pie bounced joyfully next to them without a care in the world.

"Not really," admitted Twilight.

"You look quite purposeful right now, I just thought maybe you-" Rarity cut off with a scream as her long purple mane caught on a branch. Twilight kept moving, calling over her shoulder,

"Pinkie Pie, help Rarity get untangled! I'll keep going!" Without waiting for a reply, she forged ahead into the trees. She didn't like leaving her friends but finding the creature was far more important.

A broken branch caught her attention. _Something has been through here..._ Slowing considerably, she walked cautiously onward, looking for any more signs of travel. There were smashed sticks everywhere...too many to just be him. Something bigger had charged through this part of the forest.

_So many different things live in this forest...It could be anything!_ Fortunately, her curiosity was not long unsated.

A grey mound lay motionless on the ground ahead. At first Twilight thought it was a sleeping bear, but as she got closer the beast looked a lot more familiar. The fur may have been tainted with a deep maroon colour, but she was no less certain that it was one of the dogs that once kidnapped Rarity.

Fear coursed through her as lightning when she realised it wasn't breathing. Walking around the opposite side, she recoiled at the reason why. A gaping hole in its stomach had spilt its life blood across the dirt. _What did this?_ The possible answer scared her.

In an effort to distract herself, she examined the corpse further. Pushing her fear and disgust to the back of her mind, she attempted to recall any information she might have read pertaining to this situation.

"Well, it's not wearing a diamond collar or a little jacket, so maybe it's not one of the kidnapper dogs?" she said to nobody in particular.

"Also, the blood is dry and has ceased to flow, so whatever happened isn't recent. On the other hand, blood dries as fast as a heart can stop, so that doesn't really help."

She thought for a moment as she scanned the body looking for details.

"Aha! It hasn't started decomposing yet and there is no sign of carrion feeders! That means it _did_ die recently. Interesting." Her momentary joy was interrupted as she remembered that a living, talking creature had died and she was basically desecrating it with her words. Whispering a woefully inadequate feeling 'sorry', Twilight backed away from the corpse, suddenly disgusted in herself.

The cracking of sticks and the murmur of voices pushed through the ambient forest noise. It was slowly getting louder and the cracking was getting closer, but Twilight decided she would wait and face whatever came. Her magic wasn't just for show and she was confident that she could handle any threat. Gradually, she began to understand what they were saying. One voice was much louder than the other and also significantly more terrifying.

"-dead, I told you before. You saw it as well when you helped me shift the damn thing off of me! Unless you have three hundred volts running through those hooves and a sewing kit, that guy's not getting back up." It was definitely him, Twilight realised. But who was the smaller, softer voice? _Surely not-_

"Oh but I would feel awful if I found out it was still alive and I didn't help it!" replied Fluttershy, her speech finally audible. He started to say something else, but his voice dropped in volume considerably. Twilight had to strain to hear him.

"I think I see something through the trees standing over the body. You wait here and I'll circle around and flank it, then we both-"

"It's just me! Don't be alarmed!" she called out. Moments later, Fluttershy stepped out from the green and smiled at her. Twilight returned the friendly greeting, even when that recognizable figure walked out behind her. He appeared somewhat dishevelled, but it was apparent he had been treated by Fluttershy. There was a patch on the back of his neck and a small discolouration on his chest that Twilight took to be a rather nasty bruise but apart from those things and a split lip, he looked much the same as he did the day before.

Fluttershy carefully inspected the dead dog as Twilight had moments ago. When she lowered her head respectfully and whispered to it, Twilight saw a side to the Pegasus pony she had never seen before.

Of course she had wondered how Fluttershy coped when animals died. For a while Twilight was thinking that perhaps she had never witnessed it, but that idea soon became ridiculous. With the amount of time Fluttershy spent with her animal friends, she must have seen many pass away. The Pegasus had learned to live with it, apparently, accepting death as a fact of nature. It was a sad thing, yet Fluttershy was smiling when she turned back to face Twilight.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was drowned out by a furious battle cry from above.

"Get away from my friends, monster!" The three of them looked up in time to see Rainbow Dash fly straight into the alien, knocking him off his feet and sending them both tumbling into the undergrowth.

"No! Rainbow Dash stop!" Twilight yelled at them. Fluttershy squeaked and watched in horror as the creature fought back.

At first, Dash was winning thanks to her brutal surprise attack. But when they were rolling on the ground she lost the advantage, whereas he gained it. He had longer, more manoeuvrable limbs that soon pinned the struggling Pegasus against the dirt and weeds.

Twilight had to step in before it got out of control, and with a flash of purple light the two combatants flew apart from each other.

"That's enough!" she said, magically enhancing her voice. She felt awful when she noticed Fluttershy moved away from her, but somepony needed to take control of the situation. Rainbow Dash picked herself up and brushed off the dirt and twigs that stuck to her coat, all the while glaring at the creature as he did the same.

"He wasn't attacking us." At that, Rainbow looked confused.

"But...But I saw that dead dog from the air and him standing near it and... I thought..."

Fluttershy moved to comfort the polychromatic pony.

"It's ok. You were just looking out for us like a loyal friend does," she said with a smile, nuzzling Rainbow as a thank you.

Rainbow's wings sprung out suddenly, but Twilight was warily focused on the other fighter. He was breathing hard and glaring at her while holding his chest with one hand. There was no doubt that his bruise would soon have a twin.

"Are you ok? We should probably get back to the library and clean you up." Her tone was friendly, but her heart was nervous. He didn't reply, only motioning for her to lead the way. She turned to set off, yet turned back a second later, embarrassed.

"I...uh...may not know the way back."

Fluttershy stepped forward.

"I do. I've been through this forest a lot of times," she said quietly.

Twilight smiled warmly at the yellow Pegasus.

"Great! Lead the way! Oh, wait," she stopped, remembering something, "Rainbow, can you have a look for Applejack? I heard she went in first and I didn't see her anywhere. Pinkie Pie and Rarity are also in here, but they weren't far from the edge of the forest when they got caught up, so you should be able to see them easily if they haven't gone back to Ponyville yet." She wasn't too worried about Rarity and Pinkie Pie, together they would be able to find their way out. Applejack, however...

Rainbow didn't reply, she just took to the sky with determination. Tearing through the canopy of trees, the Pegasus vanished from sight.

"Oh I hope they're all ok," squeaked Fluttershy.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Twilight replied as they set off through the trees.

He walked behind them both, unspeaking. Twilight could practically feel the anger radiating off him. It was a shame really; he seemed to be in a good mood before Rainbow Dash attacked him.

_I hope he calms down before we get back to the library...I don't want to be alone with him again._

* * *

><p><strong>I promised this chapter would be longer, didn't I? Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to drop me a review and tell me what you think!<strong>


	5. Event

My Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

Your last letter was quite entertaining, though I know the events it detailed would have been very serious at the time. You handled the situation admirably, as I knew you would. Indeed, when you alerted me to the spell in question I knew that nothing I said would sway you from this path. But think not of my actions as a casual disregard for you and your friend's safety, you know I would never willingly endanger my little ponies.

I allowed you to perform the experiment because I had done it before. As a leader I know all too well that some things need to stay secret, and unfortunately this behaviour trickled into my relationship with you, Twilight. That's why I did not tell the full truth when I warned you against the spell.

You should seek no forgiveness from me, but I ask it from you. Perhaps the encounter would have gone much smoother if I had taken the time to supervise and assist you, I wonder. I shall cease my ponderings lest I bore you into an early grave.

The 'Event', as I named it back then, took place roughly two thousand years ago. Equestria was only a few primitive villages, but growing fast. My sister and I ruled from what would become Canterlot, and ponies from across the land flocked to our power and protection. Life was difficult for many, but it was slowly getting better.

In the centre of our rule we lived comfortably, in a rather decadent style. We bathed in the adulation of the masses and were attended to night and day by willing servants. You may be too polite to say that not much has changed, but trust me when I say back then I wasn't as benevolent as I am seen today. Luna was far more caring for our needful ponies, so I just let her take care of most managerial duties. I rose only to raise the sun or fly leisurely around our growing kingdom. It's safe to say there were a few lessons _I_ had yet to learn about responsibility.

As most rich leaders do, I became bored. Relaxing every day had lost its zeal, but I refused to help my sister manage our ponies. I wanted _fun_. And so, my exploration into the depths of magic power began. In just a few short years, I had written hundreds of spell books. I was most interested in the ability to be all places at once; it suited my inflated ego and belief in my own godliness.

But making new spells required using the vast, untapped stores that flowed through the heavens. I turned my mind to astronomy, casting my energy through the void, searching for an anchor. Excuse my poor description, it is quite hard to visualise.

Space is large, as I'm sure you are aware, and it took some time to find the perfect tethering point. But one day, Blue revealed herself, nesting beneath the roar of a sister sun. I was excited, but my goal remained self serving. I would leech the energy from Blue and use the power to achieve ubiquity. Then I could inflict my power upon all creation and make sense of our reality.

I presumed too much. I thought of myself as like a god, but only when I tried to drain Blue did I realise just how little I knew. She was stronger than me. Stronger than I could ever be. I can make the sun and moon dance across the Equestrian sky, yet beyond it was a myriad of forces I could never oppose.

Blue allowed me the tether, but no more. I could feel the raw energy on the other side, seducing me into the attempt. I was no fool though. I knew I was outmatched. But there was still something I could try. While the tether may never provide me with the power I sought, there was a way around it. An _exchange_, if you will.

I brought the tether forth into tangible reality after three days of concentration. You must understand, I thought of the tether as a tunnel through which I would siphon magic away from Blue. It was no such thing. It's an agreement, a pact between two forces. Blue was willing to grant me something she treasured if I would do the same.

I was not so corrupted that I would offer the lives of my followers or my sister, yet I had to come up with something of great value to me. It did not take long.

Myself.

My service.

I was no match for Blue, we both knew. I was not weak though, and Blue seemed eager at the prospect of my assistance. I would be her 'ace in the hole' should another force oppose her. If she said the words, I would be forced to assist her with all of my power.

My reward was something she loved. Something I did not expect. I foolishly presumed she would grant me the omnipresence I desired, thinking she valued power as much as I did.

Instead, a creature lay before me. Yes, the same species as your one. Needless to say, I was furious. When I asked Blue why she had betrayed our agreement, she was confused. In that moment, I learned something valuable. Blue, with all her power and knowledge, loved her creatures more than anything. She would lay down her unimaginable life for them. I was humbled by such devotion, so I decided to approach the creature a different way, to learn what made Blue love them so much.

He spoke in a strange tongue that took a long time to understand. Before you ask, yes it was Latin. It was so beautiful that I began naming my spells with it, including the spell that brought him into our world. After a few years of hosting this creature in Equestria and mastering its language, I understood what Blue had known for eons. Their consciousness was so similar to the ponies that followed my sister and I. They love, laugh, cry, hurt and _feel_.

I found myself wondering if every single pony in Equestria, those millions of souls, were just as full of colour as he was. I felt shame for my behaviour. I was disgusted in myself for letting them down and becoming the self absorbed, power hungry foal I was.

Thanks to him though, I could change.

A few decades after he died of old age, I had taken on all my responsibilities and began forming Equestria into what it is today.

Twilight this will not be easy to fix. I'm sorry once more, for it is I who created the tether that allowed your new friend to get here. You said the words and cast the spell, and now Blue awaits something in return. There is no easy solution.

I'm sharing that story with you so you can learn from my mistakes. I should have told you sooner, far sooner, so this could have been avoided.

Before you make a decision, you should know something about Blue. She is older now, and dying. The creatures she loves are killing her slowly and painfully. I told you she would lay down her life for them and she is doing just that. Her desires have changed though; she no longer looks to defend herself from other forces because she is not enough of a threat anymore. It is unlikely she will summon me to her defence.

The point I'm trying to make is that she shares the same trait many ponies do. We like to be surrounded by our loved ones when we pass on. The only thing she wants is to be with her creatures. _All_ of her creatures. You say your friend desperately wants to go home? Blue shares that desire.

You must let him read this letter. He needs to know that Blue is dying and wants him to return. I fear once he learns of her imminent destruction he will lose all desire to go home, however, so it will be your job to convince him that it's best for everypony.

I must ask your forgiveness yet again for this letter. In my rush to explain everything I may have made a few mistakes. In addition to that, reliving those memories has left me, as you often say, _frazzled_. If you are confused about anything, write back immediately. I will be happy to explain any inconsistencies and correct any mistakes.

Your Mentor,

Princess Celestia

* * *

><p><strong>Bet you didn't see that coming! But beware making any quick conclusions, all may not be as it seems...<strong>

**Reviews are always welcome!**


	6. Infection

He sat on one of the chairs beside a small table. The library was warming up slowly thanks to the fire Twilight had lit as soon as they entered. She was in the kitchen now, brewing some manner of tasty liquid.

Deep breaths filled his lungs and long exhalations emptied them as he tried to calm his racing heart. The ever-present anger gnawed at him and he clenched his fists. Perhaps that was why Twilight hadn't spoken much, to avoid any more tantrums. _That's the right word, tantrums. Like a child._

The purple unicorn emerged from the kitchen and floated a mug over to him. Thought momentarily surprised that it had a grip that fit his hand perfectly, he accepted the drink silently. Twilight walked over to him.

"Listen, I know we haven't really gotten off on the right hoof, but if you're going to be here for a little while we should get to know each other, don't you think?" asked Twilight, sitting across from him. Subdued by the hot drink, he nodded. Twilight smiled at him warmly.

"Do you want to go first?" He shook his head.

"Alright then. I'm Twilight Sparkle, as you already know, and I'm Princess Celestia's most faithful student. When I was little, I was accepted into Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I grew up under the Princesses guidance and help until one day she sent me here to Ponyville, where I met all my friends. There was this thing about eternal night, but once we dealt with that I loved my new friends so much that the Princess allowed me to stay! And... that's pretty much it."

He didn't react in any noticeable way, and Twilight's smile looked as if it became slightly forced.

"Soooo... What's your story?" she asked. When he took a sip from the mug she slumped a bit, probably assuming he wasn't going to answer.

"Well," he began, getting her attention instantly, "my memories are a bit muddled right now. I've got bits and pieces of my life but nothing really solid. My childhood is pretty much intact, though. I remember my father and my mother mostly."

She leaned forward intently, asking,

"What were they like?"

"They were...parents. I wish they would stay forgotten," he muttered. Twilight looked mortified.

"That's an awful thing to say about your parents!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not a nice person apparently."

At that, Twilight's expression softened. He shifted under her gaze, wincing at the pain of movement.

"Why do you think that?" she asked quietly.

"I'm...I feel so..._numb_ about things, and when I'm not numb I'm angry. I kept telling myself to lighten up, kept trying to crack jokes and stuff, but why bother pretending? My life was pointless before I even got here, from what I can gather. This place is just the cherry on my shit sundae." He was leaning forward, with his forearms resting on his knees and his hands cupping the half empty mug. Twilight surprised him by stepping forward and nuzzling his cheek softly. Her breath was warm and sweet smelling. Slowly, he raised his head to meet her eyes.

"Don't be like that. We aren't that bad, are we?" she asked softly.

"No..." he admitted, "What bothers me is how carefree and simple life is around here." Twilight pulled back so she could see his face.

"Why does that bother you?" she asked, and he averted his gaze.

"Things aren't so good at home. I've...done some things, and things have been done to me. It's a scary place, so coming here and seeing all this... Your world is like a mockery of mine, a fantasy land with bright colours and friendly people."

At his words, Twilight looked conflicted, her eyes darting over to her desk on the other side of the room, where a new scroll had been waiting when they arrived back at the library.

"Our world has problems too, you know."

He snorted. "Like what? Besides the less-than-friendly canine inhabitants of your forest and this frankly_ awful_ hot chocolate, I have yet to witness any such problems."

"A powerful alicorn once tried to plunge the land into eternal night!" said Twilight defensively.

"In my world, we made a weapon that kills millions of people at a time," he replied with a dark smirk. Twilight went pale.

* * *

><p>His chest ached horrendously, causing him to grit his teeth in a snarl. Twilight had looked over to him a few minutes ago, only to squeak and quickly turn away. He didn't mind. Certain disillusionment had accompanied the end of their conversation, not unlike the events in his hazy past. A house burning among trees, distant black fields rolling under the moon. <em>No,<em> a voice whispered, _not a house. A homestead._ That same disillusionment as he watched the homestead burn somewhere, sometime, was rousing itself again, making him restless.

It didn't help that Twilight was making constant scratching noises as she feverishly wrote out a reply to a scroll she received two hours ago. The irritating sound quickly became grating, as if he wasn't in enough pain already.

Standing up with a grunt, he held a hand to his ribs to find a previously undiscovered bruise. Gingerly pressing it, he was relieved to find it was not as bad as the large ones on his chest.

At the sound of a gasp, he noticed the scratching had stopped. Twilight was looking at him from her desk with an expression of what might be concern. He looked back at her, shrugging.

"What?" he asked, trying to ignore the sudden pain in the back of his neck when he shrugged.

"Um, when was the last time you changed that patch on your neck?" the purple pony replied.

"I haven't changed it; it's the same one that Fluttershy put on. I forgot all about it." He raised a hand to the patch and stiffened when he felt liquid.

"That better be sweat," he muttered. Twilight rushed over to him, trying to get a better look.

"I can't see from here, can you kneel down?" He did so, gritting his teeth at the soreness. As Twilight inspected the patch, dizziness overwhelmed him to the point where the ground was curving at the edges into a giant swirling mess.

"I...I don't think..." he tried to say before falling below and above the world, unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"<em>...kind of a red-white liquid, I think it's infected..."<em>

He stood alone in a dark room. Somewhere around him, voices echoed as though called across a valley. He saw a shape in the darkness, moving towards him.

"Who are you?" he called into the black. His own face emerged from shadows to greet him with a smile.

"Don't worry, it's only me. Us. Whatever."

"_...he's saying something, listen..."_

"Where am I?"

"Probably dead. Yeah, we're almost certainly dead."

"That's not very comforting." The other him shrugged in reply and wandered away, quickly being enveloped in black fog.

"_...he's dreaming, right? So why are his eyes open?"_

"Where are you going?" He quickly jogged in the direction of his double, catching up in moments.

"I was gonna have a look around, see if there's a way out."

"A way out of death?"

"We escaped the flames once, we can do it again." The double flashed him a grin.

"_...wound like this is very troubling, I must return home and get my cauldron bubbling..."_

They walked side by side across the endless dark field. With the only feature being the other him, it was unclear if they were actually moving.

"I don't think I'm dead. I think I'm asleep."

"You're probably right."

"You were adamant a few moments ago that we were dead."

"Yeah, but I like the idea of being alive better."

"_...do not let him fall back asleep before I return. Here, I have some incense that you need to burn..."_

The landscape shook and they stumbled, holding onto each other for support. His double chuckled and slapped him on the back.

"Looks like you're waking up."

"What about you?"

"I'll wait here for you."

With the world trembling and breaking apart, he couldn't bear to hear _those_ words.

"Don't say that! I'll come back and get you! I will!

"I know you will. That's who you are. Always trying to save yourself."

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are always welcome :)<strong>


End file.
